


Milk and Cookies

by Writingwife83



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Baking, Cookies, F/M, Friendship/Love, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-25 05:22:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3798319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writingwife83/pseuds/Writingwife83
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock gets the bright idea to make "lactation cookies" for new mom Mary Watson, and he convinces Molly to help him. Things are going to heat up in the kitchen...and it might not just be the oven. ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Milk and Cookies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mistykins06](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mistykins06/gifts).



> This is for Mistykins06 and I've been looking forward to filling this prompt! She requested Sherlock and Molly making "lactation cookies" for Mary Watson. It's a subject near and dear to my heart since my professional specialty is actually breastfeeding! I had lots of fun with this and I hope you enjoy reading it. See you on the other side! ;)

CARE FOR AN EXPERIMENT...OF SORTS...TONIGHT AT BAKER STREET, MOLLY? -SH

POSSIBLY. YOU'RE PROBABLY ASKING ME BECAUSE YOU WANT ME TO BRING SOMETHING, DON'T YOU? -MH

GOOD OF YOU TO ASK! I DO NEED YOU TO BRING SOME THINGS ACTUALLY. -SH

JUST LET ME KNOW WHAT IT IS AND I'LL SEE IF I CAN FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. -MH

BREWER'S YEAST, WHEAT GERM, OLD FASHIONED OATS, GROUND FLAX SEED, COCONUT OIL, CHOPPED ALMONDS AND DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPS. THERE'S MORE NEEDED, BUT THE REST CAN BE SUPPLIED BY MRS. HUDSON. -SH

WAIT...YOU WANT ME TO GET THINGS FROM...A SUPERMARKET? NOTHING FROM BART'S? -MH

UNLESS YOU KEEP ANY OF THOSE ITEMS AT BART'S...THEN THAT'S CORRECT. WHAT DO YOU SAY? ARE YOU IN? -SH

Molly had to set her mobile down on her desk so she could take a moment to blink in confusion. After a few seconds, she picked it up again and fired off a response.

I'M IN. I'LL GO TO TESCO AFTER WORK, AND BE TO BAKER STREET ABOUT 7. -MH

There were plenty of reasons over the years why Molly Hooper didn't say no to Sherlock Holmes. But today was one of the very few times, if ever before, that she said yes because of curiosity more than anything else. This was, ironically, more perplexing than the times he'd requested the very strangest of body parts from her. _What in the world could that man be up to?_

* * *

Molly bounded up the stairs of 221B and came in with a quick knock to announce herself.

"Hi! I got everything you asked for," she said as she rounded the corner. "So what are we-"

Molly stopped as she entered the kitchen and surveyed the scene. The science equipment was nowhere to be found. At least, not on the table. Instead, she saw flour, eggs, butter, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Molly frowned at the detective who stood there looking like he'd been waiting for her impatiently.

"Sherlock are we...are we _baking?_ "

"Well I should hope so, Molly." He frowned in confusion. "Had you not worked that out till now?"

"Um...nope, I can't say that I had." She licked her lips as she set her bag down and looked around some more.

Molly spied a recipe sheet that had clearly been printed off from online and picked it up to read it aloud in shock. "The _'breast'_ cookies you'll ever eat? Sherlock, what is that?!" she asked with a laugh.

He rolled his eyes a bit. "Try a bit of deduction, Doctor! John and Mary have just recently had their daughter. Lizzie Watson is a month old now and is keeping her parents, particularly her mother, very busy. How often do you see me dabbling in culinary arts of any kind? And yet here I stand with a recipe entitled 'the _breast_ cookies you'll ever eat.' Perhaps you might put the proverbial two and two together, hmm?"

Molly glanced down at the recipe again. She looked back up at him with a smile forming. "This is a recipe for...lactation cookies? You're making lactation cookies for Mary?"

"Well done, Molly." He cleared his throat and began looking in the bag she'd brought. "Though, I do hope you're more skilled at baking than deduction. If not, this may be a very long night."

She threw her coat off and came over to take her place next to him at the table. "Well, it's just measuring and following a recipe. You are a graduate chemist after all. Can't you just...work it out?" She gave him a little teasing smirk.

"Very funny," he answered softly, and couldn't conceal his own small smile.

"All right, I'll stop being silly now. Shall we get started? I see you got a rather fancy mixing bowl. This from Mrs. Hudson?"

"It is. I've asked to borrow it before, but I hadn't been able to convince her till this time."

"Really? Had you been baking other times?"

Sherlock grinned. "Who said I had wanted it for baking?"

Molly snorted out a laugh. "She's a smart woman to keep it to herself!"

She sighed as the laughter stilled and then picked up the recipe again to check the first steps.

"Well, this says we need to cream the butter and sugar first, but I'd say let's skip to the dry ingredients before all of that. I always measure the dry ingredients first so I can reuse the cups and things for the wet ingredients afterward. If you do it the other way around, you have to wash them in between. Let's save ourselves some mess!"

"Why are we worrying about mess?" Sherlock scoffed.

"Because clearly it'll be me or Mrs. Hudson that'll have to deal with whatever mess this creates. If it was left to you, you'd move aside all that remains of your baking experiment and just set up your microscope again and carry on!"

Sherlock looked almost pleased with himself. "I would."

Molly took the initiative and got the larger bowl he'd set out. Sherlock took out the ingredients she'd brought and discarded the bag.

"This is a lot of ingredients," Molly commented as she surveyed the recipe.

"There's a lot of extras, naturally. One wouldn't normally bother with things like coconut oil, brewer's yeast, flax seed, or wheat germ. But those are things that have been found to promote plentiful milk production. Even the oats are supposed to help."

"I see. So is Mary having some sort of...trouble?" Molly asked cautiously.

"No, not that I know of. But you can't be too careful, Molly!" he answered with an air of importance.

"Mm, of course," she answered, and pressed her lips together to suppress the smile of amusement as she began measuring out the flour.

They worked together in a business like efficiency for a while. Molly would read off directions and they fell into a pattern of alternating the duties. Soon, Molly stopped to take a moment and preheat the oven. When she turned back around, she swallowed thickly and uttered a string of choice words in her head...because there was Sherlock casually rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt. It would be nothing short of miraculous now if she was able to follow simply baking directions!

Molly took a cleansing breath as she came over next to him again, trying not to focus on his forearms that were on display as he rested his palms on the table top.

"So um, you really thought of making cookies for Mary eh?"

"Mm, yes." He handed her the cinnamon that she'd need next.

"That's really nice of you, Sherlock. I mean...really nice. It's not the sort of thing I'd imagine you doing for a mother and baby. I mean, I know it is John's baby. But still...I'm just saying it's nice."

"I'm getting the vague impression you approve, Molly," he said with a teasing smile.

She smiled and blushed as she added the cinnamon to the dry ingredients.

"There is really only so much I can do," he went on. "Next to the conception and birth, the feeding of an infant is one of the most complex and scientific parts of the whole process. Buying baby things, throwing parties, taking pictures and anything like that isn't really for me. I thought that assistance with feeding would be closer to my area of expertise."

"Not obvious right away," Molly admitted. "But you're probably right. This is sort of your area, isn't it? And I'm sure Mary will love that you're doing this."

Molly was soon turning on the high powered and expensive mixer in order to combine the sugar, butter, and coconut oil. It began bumping and clunking as it turned and Molly suddenly felt two warm arms reach around her and a firm chest against her back as Sherlock steadied the machine and locked the top in place.

"There," he said in a voice that cracked almost imperceptibly. "You have to um, lock it. It'll move more smoothly now."

"Right...sorry. Mine is much cheaper. I haven't ever used this kind," Molly managed to answer, not daring to look around because she knew how close he was.

Thankfully, and regrettably, he did back away quickly and continued setting out the baking trays that Mrs. Hudson had let him borrow.

Molly and Sherlock finished combining the wet ingredients, and finally began adding the dry to them. Once that was done, it was time to mix in the chocolate chips, oats, and chopped almonds.

At last, the bowl of thick cookie batter was complete. Molly peered in, looking at the mixture. It actually looked good. It smelled really good too.

"Right...let's get these in the oven," Sherlock announced.

Molly was pretty sure she could detect some nervousness in the brilliant detective as they spooned heaping tablespoons of batter onto the baking sheets. It was adorable. The idea that he'd care enough to make these, and then hope that they come out just right, was enough to make her heart swell.

They sat quietly by the fire while the cookies baked for twenty minutes, and Molly related to Sherlock the most interesting of her autopsies from that day. She'd just finished speaking when the timer went off on Sherlock's mobile, and he jumped up instantly to do the honors.

The finished product smelled _amazing,_ especially once taken from the oven. Molly was really impressed as she looked over the lovely array of cooling cookies.

"Wow. These look wonderful, Sherlock! Honestly, I'd eat them." She gave him a proud smile.

Sherlock looked rather pleased with himself as well. "They do look rather good, don't they?"

"Better get some of this mess cleaned up," Molly offered.

She began picking up dirty cook ware and was surprised to find that, although Sherlock didn't say, "don't be silly, you don't need to worry about that!" he did join her in her efforts to clean up. He brought some of the things over to put in the warm soapy sink, and he took over with the washing about half way through. The gallant effort he displayed prompted Molly to wipe off the kitchen table and put some of his equipment that had been shelved for the baking project back in its usual place. When he turned around from the sink and observed the table, he smiled warmly at her.

"Thank you, Molly."

"My pleasure."

After a moment of awkward silence, Molly said, "Well, I suppose I'd better be going. Is that um...is that is? Or did you need help with anything else?"

There was a hint of eagerness and hope in her big brown eyes which she was aware she couldn't conceal, especially from him. Maybe she didn't even want to conceal it anymore. God knows, she'd bothered with that charade long enough. The days of concealed and misread feelings had long since passed. That silliness had been replaced by an unspoken understanding between the two. Molly knew it was pointless to pretend that she wasn't going to love this stupid man for the rest of her life. And it seemed that Sherlock had accepted that love in a surprisingly gracious way; in perhaps the same way that one would accept a generous gift even though they hadn't the means to give anything in return.

Sherlock stared back at her, and then looked at the cookies.

"Not...that I can...think of," he answered slowly, and was actually thinking very hard about what else he might possibly need her to do before leaving.

"Ok. Well then, thanks for asking me to help. And let me know how things go too. I do hope Mary likes them!"

Molly turned to go and as soon as she did, Sherlock blurted out at lightning speed, "Perhaps we should try one!"

She whirled around again. "You mean a cookie? Oh yeah I suppose we should. I mean, what if they're awful?" she asked with a giggle, coming back over to where Sherlock stood.

Molly gingerly selected one of the warm and slightly pillowy confections. She brought it to her mouth and sunk her teeth in, unconsciously making eye contact with Sherlock as she did. He seemed strangely mesmerized.

Finally, Molly licked her lips and smiled as she swallowed the mouthful. "Sherlock...these are really good!" She shoved the cookie at him to take. "Try it!"

"Um...all right." He took the cookie and brought it to his mouth for a bite. As soon as he began chewing, his eyes widened.

"See!" Molly said gleefully, noting his expression. "They're lovely, aren't they?"

"They are," Sherlock answered with muffled words.

Molly giggled happily at the unusual sight of this serious man enjoying a mouthful of a delicious treat. She became bolder with the air of relaxation between them, and took a step closer to him. "I'll need another bite of that, thank you very much! You certainly don't get to finish all of it"

Molly wrapped her hand around Sherlock's wrist, pulled his hand toward her mouth, and took another bite of the cookie he still held. She didn't do it on purpose, but her bottom lip actually grazed his finger. She could easily have been agonizingly embarrassed in that moment...if it wasn't for the way those unearthly eyes looked down at her. They seemed to freeze in the stillness of shock, and then burst into flames half a second later.

The intensity of the eye contact they shared at that moment practically knocked the wind out of Molly.

It took more effort than she wanted to admit to slide her fingers from off Sherlock's wrist and release his hand. His hand retreated back closer to his own body after hovering in the air a moment after she'd let go.

Molly's chewing was a little slower this time, and as she finally swallowed she managed another smile. "They really are _very_ good, aren't they?" she asked softly.

Sherlock gave a very slight nod. "Very good," he agreed in a low timbre.

"Well." Molly cleared her throat and walked away again. "I think now that we know they were absolutely a success, I'll be off."

"Molly?"

His voice made her turn again before going through the doorway. "Yes?"

"Would you care to drop them by the Watson's with me tomorrow afternoon? I know you're not working, and it seems you should get some of the credit."

She grinned at the pleasant surprise of the invitation. "I'd love that, Sherlock. Why don't I get a cab and meet you here around one?"

The corner of Sherlock's lips tipped up a bit. "See you then."

* * *

The next afternoon Sherlock Holmes stood on the Watson's doorstep holding a plate of cookies, and Molly stood next to him. It certainly wasn't anything he ever imagined he'd be doing...though that didn't mean he wasn't enjoying himself.

John happily ushered them in and said that Mary was just finishing up feeding Lizzie upstairs.

"Ah, how apropos," Sherlock remarked, and gave Molly a little glance.

"These look great," John said as the cookies were placed on the kitchen table. "Did you make them, Molly?"

"Well, I helped. It was Sherlock's idea," she said proudly, and enjoyed the look of shock that settled on John's features.

"Wow, really? Your idea?" He looked pleasantly amused at his best friend. "Well I think I'd better try them first before Mary has any. I mean, I know you were with him, Molly, but you never know what sort of bright idea he's going to come up with!" he said with a laugh as he selected a cookie.

Molly began to open her mouth, but Sherlock's hand shot out and touched hers in a clear signal to say nothing.

"Mm," John hummed as he began chewing and making a face of contentment. "These are excellent. Lots of really nice flavor. Mary's gonna love these!"

Sherlock enjoyed speaking his next words far too much. "That's fortunate, seeing as they are more specifically for Mary. They are, after all...lactation cookies."

A few crumbs spewed out of John's mouth as he choked a little and began coughing and sputtering. He gave Sherlock a horrified look while he threw the rest of the cookie back on the platter.

Sherlock, on the other hand, laughed till he almost cried. Molly couldn't help giggling at the sight as well.

"Your face!" Sherlock said with a sigh as he calmed his laughter. "That alone was worth the trip!"

"Sherlock! Why didn't you tell me?!" John demanded as he set down the glass of water he had gulped some water from.

"Oh relax, John! They aren't magical cookies! They simply contain natural ingredients that are linked to healthy milk production in a breastfeeding mother. I can assure you, there's nothing preventing you from safely eating them. In fact, Molly and I tried one last night. As you can see, they don't suddenly make you sprout breasts!" He chuckled a little and then caught the playful glare coming from Molly beside him.

Then it was John's turn to snort out a laugh at his friend's verbal misstep.

"I- I...I meant...well, obviously some of us- _one_ of us- already has breasts. That's not really a question, is it? I mean clearly I wasn't saying they're not there!" He laughed nervously. "They are! Both of them...very much present, accounted for, and clearly visible...not that they're being focused on to an inappropriate degree!" He swallowed thickly and pressed his lips together before adding quickly under his breath, "Perhaps I'll stop talking now."

Molly elbowed him lightly as she laughed. "I knew what you meant, Sherlock!" She looked back at John. "I think what the graduate chemist was trying to say is that they won't make you suddenly start lactating."

John nodded, continuing to look terribly amused at the dynamic of the two people in front of him. "Noted! I'll feel free to eat them without concern...though I'll certainly let Mary have most of them."

Mary came in at that moment and beamed as her eyes went from her guests to the treats on the table. "Hello! Oh my goodness, cookies! Did you bring these?"

"I thought it would be an appropriate gift for a new mother. They're lactation cookies," Sherlock explained proudly as Lizzie was handed off to Molly and Mary took her first bite.

"Oh my God!" Mary mumbled in bliss. "They're _amazing!_ I think they'll be gone by tonight!"

As Sherlock and Molly went to go sit down with the baby, John whispered to Mary, "Do breastfeeding women really have to eat special cookies to help them make enough milk?"

Mary shook her head and smiled. "Not usually. But if Sherlock Holmes bothers to make you a batch of lactation cookies..." She glanced over to the couch where Sherlock and Molly were enjoying the baby. "Well, as far as I'm concerned, I'm probably going to act like this was the key to my successful breastfeeding!"

* * *

Two hours later, Sherlock and Molly were back in the cab and leaving the Watson's.

Molly sighed contentedly. "That was really fun. Thanks for asking me along, Sherlock. I think your gift was just about as successful as it could be. And it really was one of the loveliest things I've ever seen you do." She gave him a warm smile across the expanse of the backseat.

"Sometimes I surprise even myself," he said with a humorous lift of his brows.

Molly laughed and looked off in the distance for a moment. "They're lucky to have a friend like you. I hope I have that someday. I mean...maybe I'll have my own baby someday."

Something changed in Sherlock's expression as he looked at her. "Perhaps you will," he answered very softly.

Molly looked at her hands briefly before meeting his eyes again and speaking to him just as softly. "If I do, I can only hope I'll get my own specially baked lactation cookies. I am a woman of science, after all. What's more fascinating and scientific than the act of feeding and caring for your child with your own body? Anyone who would care about my being able to do that...well, they'd be the very best sort of friend."

She paused again and smiled, even though his face seemed completely frozen and unreadable.

"Would you um...would you do that for me, Sherlock? I mean, if I ever became a mum. Will I be able to count on my own batch of cookies?" Her eyes shone with a complex blend of seriousness and mischief.

Sherlock took a breath and paused...

"Would I make cookies for you, Molly Hooper? Yes...yes of course I would. How could I do anything less? If- no, _when_ you become a mother, I'm not sure what I'll care about more than your life, and the life that you would then be nourishing and caring for. And you can count on more than a batch of cookies. I'd do more than that...for you. For you I would give everything that I am...my very life...to ensure your safety, health, and happiness. Naturally, I would do the same for the good of your child. How could I not? Isn't that...what any father would do? Because that is what we're speaking of, isn't it? We are talking about when you have _our_ child...aren't we? I can't help that it hurts to imagine you becoming a mother in any other circumstance. And I certainly can't see myself being a father alongside any other woman. I think I've always known that, somewhere deep inside. It's been difficult to admit, I grant you. But the truth of it has always been there...the truth that I love you. I love you, I want to be with you, and I would never want either of us to experience having a family with anyone else. To be perfectly honest... _you_ are already my family."

...Unfortunately, it soon became clear to Sherlock that he hadn't said any of this out loud.

"Sherlock? Sherlock? We're at my flat, so..." Molly peered at him expectantly, amused by his rather far off expression. He seemed to come back to earth after blinking a few times.

"Sorry, um...you were saying? Oh yes! Would I make you cookies?!" he exclaimed, as if remembering a vital piece of evidence.

Molly giggled as she opened the door and smiled at him. "It's ok, Sherlock. It was actually a few minutes ago. I was being silly anyway."

As she shifted over to get out, Sherlock's hand darted out to catch her wrist, making her eyes widen as she looked back at him. In truth, he held her much more firmly with his eyes than with his cool fingers on her skin.

"I would, Molly," he said in a voice that was soft, but full of conviction. " _Of course_ I would...for you."

The slow smile she gave him was sweet, but it was more than that; deeper than that. She understood. They _both_ understood.

And then the moment was over. Molly got out of the cab and went home; the cab went on to take Sherlock back to Baker Street, and nothing changed. At least not that day.

But for _that_ day, that moment, and those two people...it was a start.

And that was more than enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Mmm...that makes me feel all warm and fluffy inside. Kind of like a fresh baked cookie! :D By the way, I was specifically told by Mistykins06 that I'd get extra points if John tries the cookies and chokes when finding out what they are...I think I earned those extra points! Maybe I get a cookie bahaha! ;P Anyway, there you have it and I'll need to put myself to bed now. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments. Thanks for reading! ;)


End file.
